Youth eating disorders continue to rise

Causes are complex, treatment is difficult and the effects can be far-reaching

The Maudsley Parents Conference is open to the public, though a $75 registration fee per person is required. (Fee covers parking and includes lunch.) The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Embassy Suites hotel, 4550 La Jolla Village Drive. For more information, visit

Even as pounds drop, the number of teens (and children) with eating disorders continues to rise, with some of the sharpest increases occurring in boys and minority youths, according to recent reports.

To wit: a study published last year by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that hospitalizations for eating disorders in kids 12 and younger had jumped 119 percent between 1999 and 2006.

The reasons why aren’t entirely clear, but likely involve a complex, interacting set of factors ranging from social pressures to mental health issues to genetics. The consequences are more clear-cut: Poor health and impaired physical and mental development. But the effects can also be surprising: A 2010 Norwegian study found that women with anorexia nervosa were much more likely to have unplanned pregnancies and abortions than women without the eating disorder because they mistakenly believed that since they experienced irregular or no menstrual periods, they couldn’t get pregnant.

The challenge of understanding and effectively treating eating disorders is huge, and the focus of a great number of researchers and institutions. Among them is Dr. Walter Kaye, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and director of the UCSD Eating Disorder Research and Treatment program.

Kaye will be a keynote speaker at the 2011 Maudsley Parents Conference in La Jolla on Jan. 21. UCSD is among only a handful of eating disorder treatment centers in the United States that employ the “Maudsley approach,” which combines science-based principles with active participation by both patient and family, rather than just treatment of the patient alone. The conference will feature speakers discussing the neurobiology of anorexia, new therapies, current controversies and the roles of families and others.

Q: For parents, what are the clear signs that a child has an eating disorder?

A: If a child is developing anorexia nervosa, they tend to restrict eating, lose weight, and have distortions of their body image. They often see themselves as “fat” even though they may be underweight. They may overexercise. It is quite common that these behaviors are associated with perfectionism, and a desire to achieve, as well as anxiety and obsessive thoughts. One of the distressing symptoms for families is that often there is a lack of insight into being ill, and a resistance to treatment.

Q: Is there a tipping point when an eating disorder becomes life-threatening?

A: When substantial weight loss occurs, virtually every organ system in the body is compromised because of the lack of nutrients. In order to conserve energy, metabolism slows down. Heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature all decrease. Anorexia nervosa has a high death rate. Some studies show that more than 10 percent of people who have anorexia nervosa die from malnutrition or other causes. Generally speaking, some of the reasons for becoming very concerned is if weight drops below 75 percent of ideal, or if there is very rapid weight loss, dehydration, or changes in body chemistry.